Hello everyone, and welcome to another week of garden goodness. Sorry for the late update, but I figured I could weed until the thunderstorms rolled through, and then they never did. So I kept weeding.
The weeds are exceptional this year. The southeast quarter of our main garden is low and clayey and holds water like a sponge. Too wet to use any mechanical cultivation now, and so the weeds advance. Attacking the higher and dryer areas yielded some progress until one cultivator and then the other succumbed to the abuse of centrifugally propelled missiles of shale and 'deferred' maintenance. What a pain in the brassicas.
But the day ended well, and although we bittersweetly announce another basket of cool-season greens, lettuce and the like, the gardens seem to be turning more quickly towards summer. Zucchinis and yellow squash are appearing in miniature, the dozens of hoop-house green tomatoes are poised to blush, and onions are starting to bulb up. In the meantime, forced shiitake logs from this past Tuesday are already pinning beautifully; with a little luck, your week 4 baskets will have a nice portion of fresh mushrooms.
We were disappointed with the size of last week's chickens, and think that their slower growth may be a function of the cool wet spring. So this week we'll switch back to pork, and expect a larger bird for week 4, and probably 5, too.
So while the veggies and chickens march to catch up with summer, we patiently enjoy a Week 3 basket consisting of (at least):
-1 Package of Pork Sausage. Choice of hot dogs, hot Italian sausage, sweet Italian sausage or kielbasa (first come, first pick).
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Bagged Mixed Greens (red mustard, mizuna, tatsoi, kale, and arugula).
- Salad Turnips
- Lemon Basil
- Purple Basil
- Fresh Garlic
Ideas:
"What the hell are Salad Turnips," said everyone, everywhere. Replied Google: "Eaten raw, the flavor is sweet and fruity, and the texture is crisp and tender." Eva and Noah confirm that these are edible raw, although "not as good as radishes," and "weird." Actually, they are pretty tasty. Sliced thinly over your salad, you'll find them slightly sweet and peppery, adding a nice crunch.
There are some fantastic recipes out there for pasta dishes with sausage and kale. This one looks especially good. Soup is a great option, especially if you have some stock set aside from last week's chicken.
The bagged greens this week are a bit stouter and more spicy than week 2's. They'll work in salad if you like the spice, or will stand nicely to a quick sauté or other heat. Add them to a frittata, fold into an omelet, or top a pizza.
The fresh (uncured) garlic is a real seasonal treat. Moister than cured garlic, it is great for crushing. Try adding some to oil and vinegar, with chopped lemon basil to top the lettuce and turnips.
See you in the am, 9-11, front porch, 135 Crystal Lake Road.